Deshiving and decorticating machine



R. R. ROBERTS.

DESHIVING AND DECORTICATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED uovnzs, 1918.

1,405,004, A Patented Jan. 31,1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET l- IIllllllll n n. I @JIIIIIIIIIII Rahal-T H.HnhErT5 @Z aagm R R. ROBERTS.

DESHLVING AND DECORTICATING MACHiNE.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.2s. 1918.

Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

atbouw 4 4 R. R. ROBERTS.

DESHIVING AND DECORTICATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 26. 1918.

Patented Jan. 31; 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Hobart RR fiherls R. R. ROBERTS. DIISHIVING AND DECORTICATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 26, new.

1,405,004, Patented Jan. 31, 1922.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- &

ZIwvanIoz 1A0 heed 1 s e l 2 epplicatiomf led liroie telf 26; 1918. *se it'i ub. 2643 14 To all 'witom it 50mm; 9

Be it known that If, ROBERT RorsER'rs, e cltizen of theUriited. States, T-residingIaet V lvashington, in the- District I ofr Cohiinbizi have invented certain e? 1 and useful-1m! j provements in Deshiving. and Deeortieatirig fibrous plants.

BIa'chines, vOf-Whioh the ifollow viugisia speci fication.

The present invention reletestd ainaehine for de-shiving and decorticating exogenous The'object ofthis vantages are overcome byflkpellllitl relative I arrangement of thesuecessive pairs of'ide' shiv'ing and decorti'eattingrollers l and 21; 'pe-- 3 culiarconstruetion of the rollers combined: with vibratory reticulated separating aprons; 0r supports for the decorticated plant stalks;

1 A. feature of the present inventioiiis in taken through'the same: i

theproyisionof fixed and movable mountings for each pair of decorticatilng rollers,

and the. provision of a novel means. in :.con-

junetieilw'vith the movablejrnounting for yieldingly maintaining it in-position toward the fixed mountlng, the yleldingirrieans being":

adjustable as to 'p1 essure,': and alsofin the provision of meansfor adjustably limiting the separating nio'veinentbf 'the mloiintingif :The above: andother more or less imin, and understood, from the following detailed description of the present "preferred: embodiment, the same being illustrated in Y i I loosening'rol-lers 11 u1dAJ15; mounted; on

the aeeompanying' drawingsQwhereiiif "Figure is a side elevation of nde-shiv machine constructed aceordlugfto the; v v

I 15"." Asvshownlnthe-severalviewszof sthe Figure '3 is a fragmentary rollers: v

i Fi

' sweetmesses;

endffof being i V immllfs of the machine invention'is to improve the machineset forthin Patent #15132122, 'ranted on my invention March--16, 1915.-

n this prior machine, there is atendency I1 1 for the fiber to adhere to end followithei de j 5 eortioitinig 1 rollers; r and the shive s m not altogether setis factoi'i'ly removed fromYthe' fiber c'luring the operzitionfl These disad I, V J

' "ineidentnte the" vibration io'fithei provided; with it "frametof suit'ibleyeon structiomi :the present -il111str2ttion disclosing 8 enlztrged sec 5 tionz lzriew taken through a pa-ir'of rollers 'at one side or" themaehine, showing 'the--- fixed and" adjus teble' mountings J'for' ".the

gure 4 is a fragmentary-enlarged sec 1 tional .iziew. taken through the 'adjeeent Leo-j operating portions of a pair of rollers, illustrating the inter-meshing ribs or surface projections I o pr f iigu'fb isa similar? vie'ui illu'strstiiigth 4 secondaryior. iiit erinediate'lrolleris ofitheiihw chine a rjid showing ithe,fribs;or "thereofinterrineshin 'iandioflessh'eightand .65

rejectionsf width then those'of. 'e first' 'ofiiniti il rollers;

"Figure 16 :"is -21ike View illustrating rollers of e stillgfiner meslhgand; whieh be. used fbrljtlfer final fd'eedrtieetii gfori' 'd-f shivi igggof the. plant: stalk. l J v m 7 is 2 t :-deta'1 perspective 1 i iew- 1o heisifi n pa t ng r niem leye Figure '8 is afmgmentary transverse sec ft t separating;apronsa niipositio i i lines" illustretingr: the p.ositions'-' of the-apron m by the operation of them f'ihinei Referringto thezz'dr wings; theimechine sl '7? spacedfapzirt sides :10held togetheri-bygbigaees 11 or. the like and provided at 5 l en'd witha feedtable 'andat its rear end extendingtransverselybetween th I the frame, "ere'pa rsj or f isjets; Jof' "oll'ers er- 7 rih'gedifienyifdesired nuniber exidf being preferably :graduatedf 1ncertain predeter mined vproportions from end to end :o'f: ithe Ward enjd bf thevf-rame isA rmiidedfwith ie initial cracking-for two phi-rsior sets bf" traiisyerse "shafts l6if itnd J17 respleetizyely, with the roller 14 arrenged eboye the roller;

li a u ihgs, the jgtx'es offtheyshjtfts-l6 end 17 of j'eeeh set (of rollers are i arrg nged' -In -"the same. vertical-1:11am, and the' polntof wo'r form Tof e l lioilow eylinder elosedft-t its-end T V I 'by a head or plug l8 provided withacen tral hub portion, into which is fixed a section of the adjacent "shaft, such 'as l6 the case of the upper roller 14, and as l7 m ther case of the lowerroller 15. {The sections of theshaftslG and 17, project beyond the ends oftheadjacent "rollers-14 and 15, and'the lower shaft 17 has bearing in. buslnng-JQ i or the like fixed in the side of the frame.

;The upper shaft l6ghas bearing in avertiposits crown teeth 38 of the gear wheels with pinions 34: adapted to mesh with the crown gear wheelsand drive the same.

Atpreferably one endofthe machine, the

shaft 31 i'sp'rovided with a drive beveled Qg'ea r wheel meshing with aipinion 36,

"'call'y moving bearing block20 fitting in a vertical way 21 formedin the upper 'pori tion of the side 10 oftheframe, and? which is normally held in'ythe bottomfof theway and toward the fixed bearing" bushing 19 by a tensions. spring :22. V The spring 22 is: of. helical form and bears at llZS lOXVQI" end in' a seat 23 forined 1n the top of tl1e bearing block 20, and bearsat its .upper end against an adjusting scre'w23 threaded ina zstrap 24'which closesthe upper enclof' the way 21' carriedupona shaft37, to whichis secured a spur gea-r wheel 28-;with which meshes a driving pinion 39 a driven in any suitable manner, not illustrated. {It will be'readily appreciated that, by'the provisionjof this gearing mechanism, all of the rollers in the machine are driven simultaneously and at the same rate of speed.

lVhile all of the rollers in the machine are of identical body constructiom and mounted and driven in the same manner, the periph- V oral or working surfaces of these rollers are of varying constructions and types 111 order to carry out the function of the machine to'the: highest degree; In the present hr and which is carriedn'pon the side 10 or.

the casing; Preferably a washer 25 'i'sinterposed betweenithe upper end of the'spring" 22 and the adjusting screw 23 t0 formasiiitable bearingcforthe' spring and admit of the free turning of theadjusting screw 23 stance, the rollers are divided into" two setsroflliuishin or deliver rollers. "Each set maybe different from the emergent preferably, two of each set are. employed,

and 1f desiredthe succession of lnit al, interin varying thetension of the springiag'ainst the bearing block 20; For the purpose of limiting the upwardmovement of 'thebearing block20 against/ the tension of the spring 22, a stop pin 26 is employed, the

, 'same "projecting downwardly from afma-.

chine screw 27, which is'threaded in the ad-' justing'screw 23, a'locknut 28 being threaded uponithe screw 27 and adapted to bi'n'd the same against the screw 23,for,holding the screws inthei'r' relative'adjusted posi-' tions. 1 By providing this device, the upper shaft 16 iscapable of movement, under cer tain conditions hereinafter pointed. out, from the lower shaftl? and, such movement is restricted by thcfstop' pin26, the tension device 22 and the stop pin'26 being both in? machine.

The sets of rollers'throughout the length of the machine are preferably of the same diameter and'are adapted to'be driven :at the'same rate of speed, any suitable driving means adaptable for the purpose may be '7 employed-- and a preferred jfor n of gear driving 'mechanism. being illustrated. V In the present illustration, the upper shafts .16 are each provided with a spur gear wheel dependently and relatively movable to. suit varying conditions metwithin'the use of the i t 29 keyed or otherwise suitably secured upon the shafts 16, and upon each lower shaft 17" 1 is keyed or otherwise suitably'secured 60 combined spur and crowngear wheel 30,- the peripheral teeth of'whi'ch are adapted-to mesh with the spur gearwheel 29 of"; the

vupper shaft 16. A shaft 31- is supported in the spaced apart bearings 32 along onesid'e' of the frame, and is provided at points -op-,

mediate and final rollers 7 may be inter changed 1 to suit, the a work to machine may be put;

which the "As. shown in Figure the initial pair or i set of, rollers is of a constructionadapted to first-receive the stalks of flax, jute, orother fibrous :plant, 'forinitially bending and cracking the cortex thereof, the broad principle'ofls'uch operation being set forth and covered in "my prior patent'above referred to. According'tothe present invention, the 2 upper roller 14 is providedwith equi-dis.-- tantly spacedapart and longitudinally ex-Q tending :ribs' "01 projections 40 which are received in grooi esior channels 4:1 formed in the subjacent roller 15,"the ribs 40 and groovesi llbeing so relatively dimensioned that'at no, time do the adjacent walls thereof:

contact. Y The coa'cting surfaces cram-011m points of 7 Contact of the rollers are-substantially in a common horizontalplane, and

may be considered as thesingle point ofcon tact of each pair of rollersw'g The stalksre ceived between the: coacting portions of the rollers 14 and 15 arethus'pressed'there-be j tween without damage to' the fibe rs of the plants and resulting only in the breaking up of the cortex of'th'e stalks;

to havetheribs 40 of the initial rol'lersrela It is desirable 'tively large for first receiving the unpressed" and unbroken stalks, and it has been found by practice that with ribs 40 of there quired ,Wldllll, some diiiiculty is frequently encountered in the adherence of thecortex to the ribs Withthe resultof deflecting the fibers out of their path endeeusing the'seme to follow the upward trendo'f the "ribs @LQ during the rotation of the'rollersl l and15. In order therefore 'to "secure the desired crimping and breaking ofthe oortexfo'fthe stalk, and zit the's'tine time to reduce the adhering. surfaces of the ribs {L0,fthe latter areezi'eli provided with longitudinally extending grooves 42 wl 'ieh prov'idefiiosupport for the portions of the stalk lyinghetween thelatera'l edges of"thegrooyes, and thus reduce the adhering surfaces or spaces ofthe ribs 40. Such a, oonstr ictionis i tot n' d to act-t iilly elin'iinate zit all tinies'tlieadhering of the stalk inst bstentielly zr lio'rizohtztl plane from between the points of meshing otthe adj'zieent set 01" rolls. As illustriited in Figures 5 end 6, it is not fof in d' s'o'e'ssential' to "provide the grooves 42 iii the ribs. 43 and 446i the respective interrhedieteand finishing rolls, theribs l3 and let being adapted to enter, in properly s 'jeced'reletiiin relatively to the Walls thereof; the reeves or Channels 45 and 4:6formed complement ally in 'the subjeeent rollers 5 ditherespective sets.

The relative sizes and dimensions of the grooves 4 1', 45 aild 40am their respective ribs 40, 4 3 and 44, may be esfidesiredand dependent u'p'on the iw ork to done for the higher efiicieney of the mael inei v i rst}? th 111? re As the stalks arepassedibete een the sets of rollers, it highly desirable that-the ends of the stalks or fibene'nter between the points of Contact of each set ofrollers Mend,

15 in thefliorizontal plene of tliepointsof c0ntz ct," a1 1d it is knowiithet when the'istelk andfiber are pressed; they are relatively pliable and 'tencl'to' droop" or hang down as they passfroi'n betweenthe sets of rollers. Tother'efor effect theproper feeding of the stalks orfibers into the'sneeessivesets of 10lle i*s,'th e sides 10 otthe fra ne' are sof eonst'r'tieted tha't'the bearings are 'ofiset' clown-l 1 \r ardly and'successirely. from theforward to "the reztr ends-olf the machine-With the rest lt that the" horizontal -planes vvh e1 1"v\ z( i;kj take Pl ce of the st ccessive' sets of rollers 14' and 15 are stepped successivelydownward'at preferably1S froni the preceding pline pf-tomes; v St ch 'eo nstrnctionhnjd arrangement is illustrzrted in Figure 2 Wherein of ee'cli' set or pairs oif rollers l t and 15"is disposed iii a true vertical plague; and the points of Contact of eat ch set'fof rollers is disposed in a horizontalplane, the horizontal plane of the points of contact being sucoessiyely'stepped downwardly froni' T 'i u' po e o supp ti g t e ta k ahd fiber between the sets of roll m prqns, are provided, wafer the ptrrpo'se'of'insilr- 't pe-ret e i i the. w st sand ish ves. erejcmise mted to;

the "relatively thin flexible slats 4.7 the the ibra te incident to the running or operation Cally, ,aj stripping action upon, the "crimped stalksffo'r loosening the 'shives and cortices by gravity intothe space beneeththe sets of tolls. As ShOWIIl/O advantaige'in,F1g1ires2,'

7 and '8,-eaeh apron is'forined of a" desired; 7'

nti nber of relativelv thin flexible spacedapart slats 4L7 seeiiredto the 'eleztts 4853s tened to the inner hroes of the sides "lOfof the frame inpositions between the sets of rolls as shown in Figure 2,1501 supporting j the slats 47 transversely-betweenthe sets of rolls and preferably; inclined ,at 15?](111 tliereabouts to support the stalks' and .fiber in their passage between'ltlie sets offrolls. As shown iii' Figure S, ii lien the gearing is operated end the rolls ere revolvingfthje Yibretionset up in the/"frame is. itnpartedto letter are, caused to \tihrate in'tlie inaiiiier'il lustretedin dotted l nes. such Vibration-is mparted to the flfiberfand' stalks passing through" the machine; and the sliiv'es the- Qv carried bythe fiber are ..-loos.ened therefroin portions of the. cortex .still edherihg anld arid 'aermitted to' dro-p gravity tozthe 'sptiees betiveentlie slats 7. Topreventthe Closing" Of the states between. the slats it hen'the letter are Vibrating, spaeingl strips lQ In'ay secured across the under sides of the slats 47 in the; seats therein, to prevent contact of the edjae nt' edge portions of-the" slats, and to insure a somewhat evenbea tingl oftheslets against thefiber." Fromthe foregoing itis thought that the operation of this m chine s apparent I latter is carried on, briefly, sis renews? The fibrous plant stalks sueh as flex, hemp, ramie; jute, In ill -W eed" and other fibrous pla 'nts or stalks, are fed overthe feed table.

12 into thefirstlset of rollers-Hand 15. As

thestalks passbetwleen the rollersl'taindwl the'ribs4O erimp therstelks ilo-W n intolthe I V grooves 41 0f the subjaoent roller end Break; the cortex of tlie stztllrs endfdraw thes'telks through the set of rollers iIi horizont ql plane. The ends'of the stalks" are foreed" fi l y and over t eincline [adja e imperted to'the slats 47 of the ka d' the apron, the Vibration ofthe rneeh'nebeing 1 7 e be n -a a ed ver.' r .e: i te m" the loosened Sh res and-cortex asmglchas is; p

possible incident to" the initial crimping of the'etalks; As the e d-or the stalk a e nally 12 ligtngs down to. extent, in lj oosition, when extended sutfie'iently to enter between the, second pair or set ofrollsirithout being turned over; or. defleeted contact with i 1w 1 The- W O erati tek 1 V '1' place relative to'eeeh sl eceeding set of rol1- erg, so thet stalks 'ip e s's l maehine they are. .s' ieeessiriely 'erimpedf or, broken upfet different points throughout their l th. ee p e ed ,0

llO

are loosened and vibrated successively a number of times to insure the freeing of the fiber practically entirely from the shives and the cortex.

By disposing the upper shaft 16 in vertical moving bearing blocks 20, and yieldingly urging the latter down toward the fixed bearing portion 19, the upper rollers 14 are permitted to give or rise, when portions of roots, or thick portions of the stalk are engaged between the rollers, without injury to the rollers or undue crushing of the fiber. $uch separation of the rollers 1i and 15, however, must be restricted, in order to maintain' the desired and proper mesh between the ribs 40 and the grooves 41 of the sets of rollers. For this purpose, the stop pin 26 is employed, the same being adapted to be adjustedsu-fiiciently above the bearing blocks 20 to permit the same to rise a distance sufficient to allow thick portions of the stalk to pass between the rollers, but to prevent the separation to an extent which would move the upper gear wheel 29 out of mesh with the peripheral teeth of the gear wheel 30.

The outer set or adjusting screw 23 of each bearing adjuster, may be adjusted to vary the tension of the adjacent spring 22 against the adjacent bearing block 20, so that the upper roller 14- will exert the desired pressure against the stalk or plant which is to be crimped between the rollers. The bearing adjuster thus not only, provides means for adjusting the tension of the'upper roller against the lower roller, but also adjustable j means for limiting the upward thrust or movement of the'upper roller.

I claim:

1. A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with a downwardly inclined line offeed therebetween, pairs of super- .posed rollers disposed in the line of feed and contacting in successively downwardly stepped horizontal planes, and aprons arranged between the pairs-of rollers.

2; A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with'a downwardly lnclined llne of feed therebetween, pairs of superposed rollers disposed in the line of feed and con tacting in successively downwardly stepped horizontal planes, and aprons arranged between the pairs of rollers and inclined in the general direction of the lineoffeed.

3; A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with a line of feed therebetween,

pairs ofsuperposed rollers disposed in the line of feed, and vibratory aprons arranged between the pairs of rollers.

*4. A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with a downwardly inclined line of feed therebetween, pairs of superposed rollers disposed in the line of feed, and contacting in successively downwardly stepped horizontal planes and vibratory aprons arranged between the pairs of rollers;

the pairs of rollers.

5. A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with a line of feed therebetween, pairs of superposed rollers disposed in the line of feed, and spaced apart flexible slats secured between the pairs of rollers and adapted to vibrate incident to the operation of the machine.

6. A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with a downwardly inclined line of feed therebetween, pairs of superposed rollers disposed in the line of feed and con tacting successively in downwardly stepped horizontal planes, and transversely disposed flexible slats secured in spaced relation between the pairs of rollers and adapted to vibrate incident to the operation of the machine for agitating articles passing through 7. A de-shiving machine having inlet and outlet ends with a line of feed therebetween, pairs of superposed rollers disposed in the line of feed, spaced apart slats arranged be-. tween the pairs of rollers and secured at opposite ends to the machine and adapted to vibrate incident to the operation of the machine, and means carried upon the inter mediate portions of the slats for maintaining the same in spaced relation during vibration. Y

8. A de-shiving machine having inlet anc outlet ends with a downwardly inclined line of feed therebetween, pairs of superposed rollers disposed in the line of feed and con tacting in successively downwardly ofi-set horizontal planes, and aprons arranged between the pairs of rollers and inclining in the general direction of the line of feed, each of said aprons comprising supporting cleats adapted to be secured to the machine, spaced-apart slats secured at opposite ends to said cleats to permit the slats to vibrate intermediate their ends and spacing means secured across gthe lower faces of the slats to maintain the same in spaced relation during vibration. 11

9. A de-shiving machine having a feed" table at one end,=a receiving table at the other end and lying in a lower horizontal plane, spaced aprons arranged between the 7 tables and inclining in the general direction -1 15 between the tables and independent crimping elements alternately disposed relative to the aprons and having points of contact in between the of decorticating rollers, one roller having fixed bearings and the other roller having bearings movable toward and from the fixed bearings, adjustable tension means for bold ing the rollers in closely spaced-apart relation, and an adjustable stop for limiting the separation of the rollers.

12. A de-shiving machine having a pair of decorticating rollers, one roller having fixed bearings and the other roller having bearings movable toward and from the fixed.

fixed bearings and the other roller having bearings movable toward and from the fixed bearings, tension means for holding the rollers in closely spaced-apart relation, and an adjustable stop for limiting the separation of the rollers.-

14:. A de-shiving machine having a pair of decorticating rollers, fixed bearings for one roller, movable bearing blocks for the other roller, springs bearing at one end against the block'to hold the rollers in closely spaced-apart relation,- adjustable holding means for the other ends of the springs to, vary the tension thereof,and an adjustable stop for eachblock arrangedin the path of movement thereof'to limit the separation of the rollers.

15. A de-shiving machine having a frame, a fixed roller in the frame, a co-acting movable roller in the frame, including movable bearing b1ocks,the frame having ways for guiding said block, coil springs arranged in the ways and hearing at one end against spaced-apart relation, adjusting screws carried by the frame and engaging the other ends of the springs to vary the tension there-" of against the blocks, and stop pins including screw portions carried in said first screws and adapted for adjustment therethrough to move the stop pins through the springs .the block to urge the rollers into closelytoward and from the blocks to vary the limit I of separation of the rollers.

16. A de-shiving machine having a pair of rollers, one of which is movable toward and from the other, intermeshin gear wheels mounted on the rollers to e eet the simultaneous rotation thereof, tension means for holding said rollers and gear wheels in predetermined meshed relation, and admit the separationthereof, and a stop adapted to limit the separation of the rollers and the gear wheel for admitting relatively thick body portions passing between the rollers f without disengaging the teeth of the gear wheels.

17. A de-shiving machine having a fixed roller, a roller movable toward and from the fixed roller, inter-meshing gear wheels carried by the rollers for effecting the simultaneous rotation, thereof, adjustable tension means for maintaining the rollers and the gear wheels in inter-meshing relation andi adaptedto yield upon-the passage of "relatively thick substances between the rollers and an adjustable stop for limiting the separation of the rollers and the gear wheels to prevent the same from movement out of mesh relatively to each other.

ROBERT R. ROBERTS; 

